Paris is installing free sparkling water fountains across the city and the world is in awe

Paris – the City of Lights, which sparkles all through the night is apparently not satisfied with the ‘night-only dazzling’ and has decided to install free sparkling water fountains throughout the city so people can enjoy the sparkle even during the day.

Earlier in 2010, the Paris government launched 8 carbonated water fountains known as ‘Fontaine pétillante’ across different parts of the city. And the reason for launching such an initiative will amaze you.

As per a New York Times report, the residents of Paris were consuming 40 gallons of bottled water per year and irrespective of the recycling process, plastic bottles still ended up in landfills. To encourage the people to stay hydrated by drinking more tap water than bottled, the Paris government then introduced the idea of sparkling water fountains.

“People often told me that they were ready to drink tap water if it was carbonated. Now they they’ve got no excuse not to.” – Anne le Strat, former deputy Mayor and Paris’s water board head at the time was quoted saying to 20 minutes magazine.

So, how does it work? The sparkling water fountains draw water from the main water line just like the normal water fountains across Paris but comes with a carbonator attached. The carbonator then adds CO2 to the water when it is exactly 44-degree Celsius, which makes the water taste really fresh.

Riding on the success of the 8 carbonator sparkling water fountains established in 2010, Paris government has now laid out the ground to set up at least one sparkling water fountain in each of the city’s 20 districts. And the project is already underway with one sparkling water fountain already been installed in the Square Eugene Varlin by Canal Saint Martin.